Event: France

Django Reinhardt Jazz Festival

When:	26 - 29 Jun 2008 (annual)
Where:	Samois-sur-Seine
Opening Hours:	Various

The annual jazz festival in memory of legendary gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt returns to the town of Samois-sur-Seine.

Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt was born in Belgium in 1910, but lived most of his life in France. He began playing banjo and guitar aged 12 and first heard jazz in cafès and nightclubs where he performed. He developed an original style, mixing jazz and European gypsy music. He lost the use of two fingers on his left hand in a fire, but this did not stop him, he just adapted his technique.

His landmark 1934 recording, Django Reinhardt et le Quintette du Hot Club de France avec Stephen Grapelli, started a new concept, jazz manouche or "Gypsy Swing", and for the first time gave jazz a truly European voice, with three guitars, bass and violin. Duke Ellington was so amazed with Reinhardt's virtuosity on the instrument, especially considering that he only used two fingers to play, that he said: "Of the top ten guitarists in the world, Django Reinhardt is in the first five".

Django died in 1953, but every year jazz musicians flock to the small town of Samois where he spent the last years of his life, to pay tribute to his music and ensure that his unique style of playing is never forgotten.

The 2008 programme features The David Reinhardt Trio (Django's grandson), The Didier Lockwood Trio, Fred Wesley & Pee Wee Ellis and The Pat Martino Quartet.

For full programme details, please visit the festival website.